According to INDOPACOM, Russia is negotiating to send fighter jets to North Korea

SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA– Russia could send North Korea “impressive but … early fourth-generation fighter jets,” the head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Saturday.

“We have seen some agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang on the transfer of Russian MiG-29s and Su-27s,” Adm. Samuel Paparo said here at the Reagan National Defense Forum. He did not say how many jets could be transferred.

The move follows Pyongyang’s deployment of 12,000 North Korean troops to Russia’s Paparo to fight Ukrainian forces.

Paparo spoke at a time of crisis for South Korea, where President Yoon Suk Yeol survived an impeachment vote this week over his brief declaration of martial law in what some are calling a failed coup.

“The National Assembly has drafted articles of impeachment that require a two-thirds majority to pass. “That remains to be seen,” the US commander said.

Yoon apologized on Saturday, four days after lifting his martial law declaration and two days after firing his defense minister, Kim Yong Hyun.

Paparo said there was little chance the drama would impact regional security.

“There is a bit of political uncertainty in Korea. I am convinced that there is stability from a safety perspective,” he said.

The discussion revolved around the question of whether the new Trump administration would stand by the self-governing island if China invaded. Donald Trump dodged the question on the campaign trail, but said in July: “Taiwan should pay us for defense…You know, we’re no different than an insurance company.”

California Rep. Ken Calvert, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee’s defense panel, said he didn’t want to speculate on how the next administration would approach Taiwan policy but thought it unlikely that U.S. policy would change dramatically .

Asked about the possibility of a postponement, Paparo replied that open source information suggests that a conflict in the Western Pacific would have devastating consequences for the US economy and therefore the United States should increase its deterrence in the region.

Calvert said this is one reason Congress needs to focus on INDOPACOM’s $11 billion unfunded priority list and pass military budgets on time.

But questions remain about how best to deter China from invading Taiwan, which officials say is possible before 2027. Paparo declined to support a proposal to station Marines or other U.S. forces on Taiwan, a policy change he said would be “provocative.”

“The real key to success is making Taiwan more effective,” he said.